Over the past few months the internet has been plagued by countless rumors with regards to the era of the next Assassin’s Creed title. Numerous sources on the net bet their money on either a Feudal Japan or Egyptian setting, something die-hard fans long hoped for. Last week alpha images of the next title called Assassin’s Creed Unity were, supposedly, ‘leaked’ and went viral across the Globe. Shortly afterwards Ubisoft officially launched their first of many teaser trailers to follow confirming that the upcoming title will be based in France during the French Revolution.
For those of you who are not so much into history, this famous historical event occurred in the late 18th century during the reign of King Louis XVI. It sparked from a nation’s resentment of the immunity and privileges enjoyed by nobles and clergy that oppressed the many. An ever growing fiscal crisis within the French economy, corruption by aristocrats and wide spread poverty lead to years of unrest that later turned into revolts, resulting into a decade of civil war. The French Revolution symbolizes the birth of democracy, nationalism as well as the end of feudalism in France.
From the teaser that was unveiled one cannot help noticing the initial beautiful ballroom, the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame, a notorious guillotine and the huge crowd gathering around it, standing well below our new protagonist supposedly bearing the name of ‘Arno’. Apart from this, images that are currently circulating the web indicate that the flintlock pistol will again be making a return together with a new ‘parkour system’ that UBI seem to have incorporated within the game. Whilst most diehard fans are livid by the fact that their dream of a Japanese or Egyptian assassin has not been fulfilled, provided that UBI play their cards well, the next title with such a powerful historical setting, coupled with breathtaking views and immersive storyline is bound to make Unity a very interesting game.
Given the rich history that UBI have once again tapped into, one expects to see famous protagonists incorporated within the storyline such as Napoleon Bonaparte, King Louis XVI, Jacques Necker, Arnaud de Laporte, Claire Lacombe, Reine Audu, Jean Sylvain Bailly, Antoine Quentin Fouquier-Tinville, François Kellermann, Marquis de Launay and many more. Nonetheless accompanying them, I am anxious to see reenactments of key events within the war such as Storming of the Bastille, Tennis Court Oath, Women’s March on Versailles, the Reign of Terror, War of the Vendée and the Battle of Valmy.
Let us hope however, that UBI step up their game when it comes to the tedious enemy AI and unchallenging combat system, just to mention a few, that did tarnish one’s experience in the previous AC titles.